10 Vegetarian Lunches You Can Make at Work

Written by Matt Frazier

I get the question all the time.

What the **** do you vegetarians eat for lunch?

My answer, “leftovers,” has always felt unsatisfying. To the person asking, usually an intrigued, maybe-one-day vegetarian, this makes it seem hard. What if you didn’t cook the night before? Are you stuck with salad?

To better answer the question and avoid turning off potential veggie converts, I put together a list of vegetarian lunch ideas fit for the office. The only assumptions: You have access to a microwave, a toaster, and a way to keep food cold. And no leftovers allowed.

Here’s what I came up with. Many of them are meals in their own right; others are more like snacks that could be combined or supplemented with some fruit, nuts, or an energy bar to fill you up.

2. Bean burrito.

3. Loaded-up salad.

Salad doesn’t have to be just greens. Some ideas to boost the calorie-count with protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats include walnuts, sliced almonds, hemp seeds, soy nuts, sunflower seeds, orange slices, apple slices, avocado, fancy nut oils, lemon juice, tempeh, olives, dulse flakes, nori, and white, black, or pinto beans. And about a million other options. Try a slice of toasted bread on the side.

4. Peanut/almond/sunflower seed butter on a bagel.

A good, whole-wheat or sprouted bagel has more protein than you might think. And nut butters generally provide healthy fats along with some more protein. Some fun add-ons: sliced banana or vegetarian jelly.

5. Apple with nut butter.

This one’s a favorite recently in my house. My wife and sister eat apples with sunflower seed butter like they’re going out of style. (As if eating like a second-grader were ever in style.) It’s not a meal on its own, but add some crackers, vegetables, or an energy bar, and it’s close.

6. Quesadilla.

You could make a standard Mexican version by melting some cheese between two tortillas and tossing in some mushrooms or roasted peppers and topping it with salsa. Replace the cheese with some guacamole for a vegan version. Or do away with the Mexican theme entirely and use hummus (black-bean hummus is a nice change) and fresh vegetables.

7. Veggie burger.

They’re best when they’re homemade, since you know exactly what you put in them. Just make extra and freeze some for later. If you’re gonna get picky and call that “leftovers,” then buy some premade ones at the store. Hint: Veggie burgers get a lot better when you dress them up with buffalo sauce, mustard, or whatever else you like.

8. A frozen, store-bought meal.

Michael Pollan has taught us that prepared meals you buy in a store are not real foods. And this is a good rule of thumb. But while I certainly wouldn’t eat them every day, there are some decent frozen vegetarian meals like pasta, pizza, and rice or noodle bowls, popping up in grocery-store freezers. Amy’s and Kashi are two popular brands, but check out your health food store for more options. Just scour the ingredient list before you buy.

9. Vegetables dipped in hummus with toasted pita chips.

You can make your own hummus or buy it in the store. If you buy it, try Tribe chipotle- or horseradish-flavored hummus. They will knock your socks off.

10. Flatbread pizza.

Refer to Christine’s vegan flatbread recipe if you want to make it yourself. Then add tomato sauce or vegetarian barbecue sauce, cheese if you eat it, and whatever vegetable toppings you can think of. English muffins or bagels work just as well, as long as you get vegetarian or vegan versions.

There you have it. Now there are 10 fewer excuses to keep eating meat.

But it’s important to note: These are supposed to be quick and convenient lunches. Many of them aren’t exactly nutritional powerhouses, with protein being especially tough to come by in such simple-to-prepare meals. But in a pinch, they’ll get you through a day when you don’t have leftovers.

If you have trouble finding any of these ingredients locally, I suggest that you order them from iherb.com. They’re cheap and sell quality stuff, and I have an affiliate deal with them where, as a No Meat Athlete reader, you’ll save $5 on your first order if you use the code RAZ652 at checkout.

Surely I haven’t thought of them all. What are your favorite vegetarian lunches fit for work?

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Comments

Yes! These are fabulous suggestions, thank you. I agree with your point about frozen lunches. I don’t eat them very often but I find Amy’s Bowls to be very filling, same with Kashi (I really like the Tuscan Veggie Bake). My lunch today will look like this…super easy and all items from home.http://bokfullofjoy.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/whats-for-lunch/
.-= Kristen´s last blog ..Run for the Hills =-.

Wow, I feel like you read my mind with this blog topic. I have been reading your blog for awhile and gradually phasing out meat from my diet. This week I decided to make the switch to going completely veg. Monday I was completely starving because I didn’t bring enough to eat and Tuesday I ended up eating toast at a restaurant that had no veg options. Today I packed several mini lunches to keep from getting hungry and so far so good! I will be putting your ideas to good use at work this week. Thanks for your help from a new vegetarian!

My favorite vegetarian lunches always include quinoa; it’s a complete protein, and so versatile! You can put it in a whole wheat wrap, or pack along some lettuce leaves and make a lettuce wrap! You can add flavor to the quinoa by adding curry powder or salsa, or dried fruit, chopped dates. Add an apple or some chopped veggies to munch on and it’s a great meal!
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Being kind to me =-.

Amanda, I’m surprised it doesn’t automatically work with your blogspot image, if you’re using the same email address. But maybe blogspot doesn’t do it. Anyway, if you go to Gravatar.com you should be able to connect a photo to your email address.

This is such a random comment, but I have to say that when I stopped being a vegan (and vegetarian), the one thing I was really bummed about was now I can’t order a No Meat Athlete shirt. 😉
.-= Lindsey @ Sound Eats ´s last blog ..How I’m Changing My Blogging Style =-.

Great list! I’m partial to grain bowls as well- make a big batch of brown rice or any other grain and mix in salad type toppings(beans, nuts, fruits, veggies, etc)! Ow…I may need to get another shirt 😉
.-= Erica´s last blog ..Taste of the Nation: Greenville, SC =-.

When I’m feeling lazy I usually make a tofu scramble with lots of veggies and some crumbled up veggie burgers thrown in. Or if I have any wraps I’ll add avocado, tomato paste and/or hummus and make a breakfast burrito. Yummy.

Veggies and hummus on pita or in wraps is my favorite go-to lunch. BUT, my new favorite are homemade bean burgers. This week I made them from black-eyed peas adapted from a recipe in Foster’s Market cookbook. They have been great on pita with home-sprouted sprouts (thank you for that lesson! I will never go back to store-bought sprouts!)
.-= Laura´s last blog ..High Expectations =-.

I just discovered your blog and I’m pretty sure I’m in internet heaven. Love Brendan Brazier and so awesome that you incorporate his stuff into your site. I just recently went vegetarian (slowly, vegan..maybe?) and have been training for a half marathon on the Great Wall of China…thanks for the tips on pre-race food!

It makes me giggle when people ask that question, since I’ve learned more about veganism and I’ve been eating mostly-vegan on weekdays since last fall… now THERE is a challenge! Eating vegetarian seems easy in comparison, hehe.

Erin and Christine are right about the sunflower seed butter with apples! I don’t really like peanut butter, but the sunflower seed butter is wonderful! I couldn’t stop eating the nut butter with apple snack after I got it home.

Another quick idea is an “Eggless Salad Sandwich” or “Chickpea Salad Sandwich”. Basically, for the Eggless Salad Sandwich, I crumble extra firm tofu in a bowl, add Vegennaise, stoneground mustard, salt, pepper, green onions, relish, a little cayenne, and if I’m feeling adventurous, I add some curry powder and grated carrot. For the chickpea variety, I mash the chickpeas in a bowl with the same other ingredients. It’s a good pita filler, too! Also, the ethnic section of most grocery stores have precooked rice pilafs and Indian dals etc., which can be nuked in the microwave and thrown together for a quick meal. And never underestimate the tofurkey avocado club!

Great list! I’ve made many of those for quick fix lunches. Another idea – make an extra batch of black bean soup and freeze it in individual servings so all you’ve got to do is de-frost a serving and munch on fresh veggies on the side. Filling and great on cold days!

I make my own jelly/jam. Pectin comes from fruit, but you don’t even need to use pectin for jelly/jams. A quick trip to the orchard, some canning jars, a hot water bath (or pressure canner, but those are expensive), and I’ve got great blueberry and peach jam.

GREAT post! I love that you all know how it feels to be the odd one out at work! I get it all the time! Great suggestions to! I bring mass majority of those, along with a good ole homemade veggie rice bowl or some homemade veggie soup 🙂

What a great post! I have lost 70 lbs, quit smoking, became a vegetarian, and started running…while changing my career path to Clinical Nutrition to help others on the same path. This week, I have been working on the cardiac rehab floor with people who have had heart failure educating them on the 2 gm sodium restriction. Prevention is really the best medicine. I am also SOOO grateful for such a well-written blog proving that there can be healthy vegetarian athletes out there, that not all vegetarian foods are created equal and that healthy/athletic can be trendy and fun:-).
THANK YOU!
Maria

Great post!
Amy’s also has some great canned chili. I like half a can with some cheese and carrot sticks for lunch sometimes, really easy and quick.
I love apples with peanut butter, or sometimes I will eat an apple with raw almonds and yogurt.
In the deli section of most health food stores you can usually find a bean salad with lots of different veges and rice mixed into it – a meal in itself. I sometimes cut up a tomato and toss it in for extra flavor.

Just stumbled on your blog and am so happy I did! I’ve been a vegetarian pretty much my entire life (really, I would spit meat out as a toddler). And also a runner (marathons, but aiming for the ultras). I am ALWAYS in need of new meals… particularly lunches at the office. This post was so helpful. Your mention of veggie burgers and hot sauce in the same sentence inspired me, so here’s my new FAVORITE lunch:

I just learned how to make an insanely delicious “faux tuna” salad using garbanzo beans, vegan mayo, onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. It is SO GOOD and healthy and affordable and lunchable. Find the recipe on vegweb.com.

What a great site, and great post for ideas! Its so common to get stuck on what to eat and end up just eating “whatever” since meat is everywhere! My favorite lunch is kale sauteed with coconut oil and garlic (with a squeeze of lemon) served over quinoa. It’s easy to pack and tastes good warm or cold. Maybe some dark chocolate for dessert…

I like a caprese style vegan sandwich. I cut tofu into small chunks, and toss it with some salt (or you can use mozzarella if you eat cheese). Then add to tomatoes and basil with some grapeseed oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh ground pepper. You can put it all on some hearty whole grain bread, in a yummy sprouted wheat wrap, or eat it over some mixed greens as a salad! Yum!

I know people are generally split over eating raw tofu, but I find it a perfect base for my quick lunches. (My veg sister finds this repulsive) I do a variety, but the simplest for me is cutting up pressed firm tofu, throwing it in the tupperware, cutting up any and all veggies I can find, and drizzling it with balsamic and feta or soy sauce. It marinates in the fridge for a few hours and it’s like a salad but without the hassle of a separate dressing container.

I like that suggestion, Abby. I’ve just started to NOT find uncooked tofu repulsive. Question: what you say “raw,” do you know if tofu out of the package is truly a raw food? Or is it heated when it’s made? Surprised I haven’t thought about this before.

Great ideas! As a longtime vegetarian, I eat these things for lunch frequently (right now as I type, I’m having an Amy’s bean burrito loaded with hot sauce, a sliced-up apple on the side, and sparkling water.)

Can only speak for self. 50g pecan cores(50g of eatible pecan, excl the shells) which covers 350cal to go along with 375ml blueberry smoothie and a 30g scoop of whey protein powder(Im vegetarian not vegan) which comes out of a total of 280+120+350 = 750cal but only after morning training passes, else nada for breakfast but a banana at 10am.

Invest in a good insulated lunchbox and a few ice packs. Take a few minutes every night to put together your food for the next day and enjoy great healthy food from the convenience of your front or back seat. My hubby is a truck driver and if he didn’t pack food for all his hunger needs throughout the day and relied on streetside food he would weigh 400 pounds. It’s worth the small effort every night to fill his lunchbox and belly without filling out his waistline. Also invest in a good water container, soda will fill out your waistline too…

I too enjoy elementary school snacks…”ants on a log” is a favorite! Celery + peanut butter + raisins. delicious and very satisfying! (also, celery has a lot more vitamins than you probably thought!)
Yes, raisins can be high in sugars, but you will probably only use a max of 1/4 cup.

Stopping at the store and getting a can of black beans and a 90sec microwaveable bag of rice works in a pinch too! 🙂 I did this and grabbed some sauteed peppers and onions for a topper and became the envy of the office barbeque where EVERYTHING else had meat in it.

I have a recipe that I make up regularly for quinoa and beans. It is a simple, delicious and vegan recipe that can be eaten on its own or in a burrito. For a burrito, I start with a whole wheat shell, spread on some refried beans, add a few scoops of the quinoa and beans, maybe add on salsa or hot sauce, avocados (if I have some) and/or cilantro. If you eat dairy, feel free to throw on some sour cream or grated cheese. Heat it up in a panini grill if available, or the microwave, or just eat them cold. I find they make a great trail food, as they are handy and taste great cold.

My favorite sandwich to take to work is baked tofu. After draining a block of tofu I cut it into 3 blocks–sprinkle some Mrs. Dash & Spike seasoning on both sides and baked until golden brown. Its delicious and doesn’t need to be heated. For an extra treat I’ll spread hummus on the bread–add a slice of avocado and lettuce/ sprouts.

I have been considering the vegan lifestyle but have concerns about recommendations I see to eat breads, smoothies, and other processed items that would spike blood sugar. I tend to gain weight easily and have followed a low/lower carb lifestyle for about 9 months with fairly good results re: weight loss. I eat good deal of fat with some protein, and even less carbs except around exercise time. Would appreciate your thoughts on the topic of insulin spikes and (natural) sugar consumption from whole foods that are blended / processed – to me this would increase the rate at which they are absorbed (higher GI or GL) and lead to these spikes. Thanks

Hey there. Great website! 🙂 Im currently only eating fish with vegetarian (alot of fruit too) theme (pescatarian) i thin kits referred too atm. Will prob drop the fish bit later. I did do full lacto ovo for 11months and enjoyed that. I enetered 2 half marathons and a 3/4 marathon in 2011 as a vegetarian and managed a 100min 21km 1st ever halfa :). I have a half marathon coming up in 15weeks time and also are dropping roughly 16kg in the process. Cant wait to do another 1/2’a in july then all out effort for a ful lmarathon in oct in toowoomba road runners (TRR) cheap beautiful run they have there :). Will keep enjoying this site! I also enjoy Pea Protein Isolate naturally flavoured, and a whopping 82% from tons of golden split peas 🙂 Happy running Cheers,
ZAC

Hey there! Great website! My namer is Vallarie, I’m 12 years old and I am starting to become a vegetarian. This is a fantastic site! I just made a healthy bean and cheese burrito of my own. I will start coming on here for now on more and more. I just want to be healthier!

It was great to find your website today. I’m in my first month of living Vegan and it’s quite a transition for me. Sites like yours which focus on the positive aspects of this choice are just what I need to keep inspired. Thanks!

How to eat during the workday was my biggest concern when I was looking into a switch to began diet. These are some great ideas and recipes- an can be used as “fertilizer “for creative cooks and EATERS(that’s me) to survive… One big fun for me- Hummus made w/o garlic and added berries and Brown rice syrup. Sweet hummus is great on oatmeal or chip/crackers

I’m a dance student and a very hungry one at that- currently not a vegetarian but considering it, how do you eat enough to fill you? I need to get about 2700kcal a day for my height/weight/energy demands but am also a poor student! are all of these foods particularly expensive? thanks for these ideas 🙂

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